No sound on Google maps: how to fix on iPhone or Android

If you use the Google Maps app and encounter problems related to audio, this guide will answer your question. We will list all the problems with sound settings and show you how to fix them on iOS or Android.

The main problems with Google Maps sound

Listed below are the main errors in Google Maps, in one way or another related to the lack of sound:

1. Low Volume on iOS itself: Apple restricts the maximum volume level too low for some users, making it hard to hear audio output.

2. Poor Audio Quality: Audio compression causes the overall sound quality to suffer in some cases.

3. Wrong Audio Settings: In some cases, the audio settings on Google Maps cannot be altered, making it difficult to tweak sound quality.

4. Mixing Issues: Mixing audio with a single iOS device can be challenging, as the sound may become off balance.

5. Limited Accessories: There are a limited number of accessories that can be used with an iOS device to enhance the sound output on the head unit.

However, this is not a complete list of errors encountered in the Google Maps app. Below we will consider other situations when the sound cannot play normally in the navigation app and give instructions on how to fix them.

The Volume on Your iOS Device Is Muted

Fixing the sound in the Google Maps app is very easy. All you need to do is change the volume settings in iOS.

The matter is that by mistake a user could simply mute (enable silent mode), as a result of which there is no sound in all the apps.

You can disable silent mode on iPhone as follows:

1. Go to “Settings” from the Home screen.
2. Select “Sounds”.
3. Locate the switch next to "Vibrate on Ring" and slide it to the right if it is disabled.
4. Scroll down and locate the switch next to "Vibrate on Silent" and slide it to the right if it is disabled.
5. Push the volume slider located at the top of the screen to the right to turn up the ringer volume.
6. Check the switch next to "Change with Buttons" and slide it to the right if it is disabled.
7. Push the "Sleep/Wake" button on the top of your phone twice to turn the silent mode off.
8. You should be able to hear ringtones when someone makes a phone call or sends you a message.
9. You have now successfully disabled silent mode on iOS 16.

If the sound problem in Google Maps was due to the silent mode, the app will correctly display the sound and notify about all events.

Revisiting Google Maps Settings

Actually the sound settings in the Google Maps app are few. However, you need to make sure that the settings do not have Mute mode on iPhone, which turns off the sound of events in the app.

You can turn on the sound on Google Maps as follows:

Step 1: Tap profile icon on the Google Maps app.

Step 2: Tap on "Settings".

Step 3: In the Settings, scroll down and tap on "Navigation Settings".

Step 4: You will find the option for Mute Google Maps Sounds and Notifications here.

Step 5: Choose from the three options which are Muted/Alerts only, Unmuted.

Step 6: If you want to turn on the sound, tap on "Unmuted". This will unmute the sound and vibration of the Google Maps app.

Your sound settings for the Google Maps app are now successfully changed. To check sound, create a new route and make sure that the voice assistant works.

Changing Google Maps Assistant voice

If you use the voice assistant to navigate and at some point the voice assistant stops working, the possible cause of the error is a failure of the voice navigation settings.

We'll look at a fix that works on Android, but the steps are similar for iOS.

If you use the Ok Google app for assistance,

1. Open the Google Maps app on Android
2. Go to Settings - Navigation Settings
3. In the Voice Selection section.
4. Select the desired language and voice option.

See also: Complete manual on How to change Google Maps Assistant voice.

For Siri (iOS) assistance, the procedure is similar.

The Google Maps App Is Not Updated

Older versions of Google Maps may contain no sound errors. As a rule, they appear as a result of incompatibility of the iOS version with the current version of Google Maps app. As a result, there may be sound missing when dubbing road events, sudden volume changes, and other audio bugs.

In any case, it is recommended to check whether there are no updates for the Google Maps app. You can do this through the App Store:

1. Open the App Store app on your device.

2. Tap the profile picture or initials in the upper right corner to sign in.

3. Type Google Maps in the search bar at the top.

4. Tap the ‘Get’ or ‘Update’ button next to the app. (A blue button with a pen icon).

5. Enter your Apple ID password if prompted.

6. Tap the ‘Agree’ to the Terms and Conditions.

7. Wait for the download to finish.

8. When you see a notification that says 'Update complete,' you can open the app.

Your Device Is Not Connected to Wi-Fi

If there is a sudden loss of sound in the Google Maps navigation app, make sure that you have access to the Internet and that the wifi signal is stable. You can check the internet speed with any speed tester such as Speedtest by Ookla.

The Audio Output Is Not Set Correctly

Another way to fix the sound absence in the Google Maps app is not so obvious. If you are using external audio sources or some app has changed the Audio Output, you need to return the default settings.

Audio Output is, in simple terms, the channel that the audio signal goes to. It must be the speaker of the mobile device, not headphones or an external bluetooth speaker.

In order to change the Audio Output, follow these steps:

Step 1. Open the "Settings" app on your iOS device.

Step 2. Scroll down to and select the "Music" option.

Step 3. Tap the "Playback" option.

Step 4. Tap the "Audio Output" button.

Step 5. Select your desired audio output from the list of available options.

Step 6. Tap the "Back" button to save your changes and return to the previous screen.

Step 7. Tap the "Done" button to exit the Settings app.

Your Audio Output settings should now be changed and your iOS device will now be outputting sound to the selected audio output.

After that, all sounds from Google Maps should be correctly output to the iPhone or Android speaker.

Fixing Google Maps sound on Carplay

The Google Maps app can be used on Carplay for regular navigation. If you run Maps this way, check for any 'no sound' related errors specific to Carplay.

To figure this out, you will be helped by the tutorial article we wrote.

If all Carplay errors have been resolved or if the sound output error is not related to Carplay, move on to other fixes.

Connecting Waze app to Carplay instead of Google Maps

If none of the methods helped you to fix sound, we suggest the following solution - change Google Maps to another navigation app. It may be a temporary fix, but at least the sound problem will be solved.

It is easy to connect the Waze app to Carplay or Android Auto.

1. Go to App Store
2. Download Waze and install it on your device
3. Connect your phone to the car head unit
4. Launch Waze and adjust necessary settings
5. Check if there is sound in the app

Read also: Detailed instructions on how to connect Waze

If Google Maps features are crucial to you, wait for updates or ask the experts in the Google community.